The last round before Christmas and the New Year was also the halfway mark in the competition. The line-ups looked immensely exciting, but seemed to hang by a thread. So much depended on the course of the pandemic and the government’s reaction to it. As it happened, not a single game was called off.
The two newcomers, the Chiefs and the Sharks, met for the first time. It wasn’t only ground advantage that made you think the home team held the aces. Sandy Park indulged in something offbeat called a crowd.
The other Sharks from Darlington were relieved just to be playing again. Like Sarries they had sat out two rounds, frustrated by positive coronavirus results.
Wasps v Gloucester-Hartpury
A breezy day at Twyford Avenue, and Meg Jones put her drop-out downwind straight into touch. But her pack drove Glos-Pury off their scrum to earn a penalty. From there a fine break by Amy Wilson Hardy led to Maud Muir driving over close to the posts. Off the tee Jones rarely misses. (7-0)
This was just the sort of start a side needs in a tight game. There were test players sprinkled all over the field – as happens so often in the AP15s these days – and G-H enjoyed their last visit here a year ago.
Twenty minutes in and a kick ahead by Lleucu George was deflected to the same Jones – there were three on the field – and she fed Abby Dow. Not even Kelly Smith could haul her in as she screamed down the left touch-line. (12-0)
At last G-H managed a combined push close to the line but had to be satisfied with a kick at goal by George. (12-3).
Before the break Wasps showed off their combination play with a lovely move completed by Carys Williams. She had so much space left over on the right that she could saunter in and touch down under the posts.
The cherry-and-whites profited from a fine raking kick to the left corner by George. From there a series of drives brought a try for Georgia Brock under the posts. That was an important response by the visitors.
Half-time: 19-10
Sean Lynn wasn’t a happy man for most of the first half, but the try helped to lighten his mood.
It darkened again as Wasps repeated their fast start. Meg Jones ran left from a 5-metre scrum, gave to Ellie Kildunne and she trotted over for her regular contribution to the score-sheet. (26-10)
There was plenty of movement but no scoring through most of the half. Then, right at the end, G-H mounted another assault through the pack; Bianca Blackburn was the beneficiary as she crossed by the left post.
It was significant that it was again the forwards who got their side to the line. The days when they could ship the ball out to Kelly Smith for her to chalk up 24 tries in a season now seem a distant memory. Defences are tighter, but perhaps the backs are lacking the sure touch of a Ceri Large to steer them in the right direction.
Wasps will be relieved that their pack stood up so well to the challenge. Claire Molloy had to replace Harriet Millar-Mills at No 8 for this game, but G-H couldn’t extract a lasting advantage.
The line-out was iffy on both sides; the breeze didn’t help, but there was a lack of precision there that reduced the game somewhat as a spectacle. Fortunately the pace on show was another big plus for the AP 15s in their present guise. The Wasps backs look capable of breaking almost any defence in their current form.
Result: Wasps 29 Gloucester-Hartpury 17
Teams:
Wasps Gloucester-Hartpury
15 KILDUNNE FAHEY
14 WILLIAMS C SMITH
13 WILSON HARDY JONES H
12 ALDER (C) HEARD
11 DOW VENNER
10 JONES M GEORGE
9 MACDONALD HUNT
1 CRAKE HOPE
2 MOLONEY JONES K
3 MUIR HALE
4 BURNFIELD PINNOCK
5 COONEY CRABB
6 McMAHON BROCK
7 KABEYA LEWIS
8 MOLLOY POWELL-HUGHES (C)
Bench:
16 IRONTON LOCK
17 STOCK ROBSON
18 MONAGHAN BUGGY
19 MITCHELSON WILLIAMS S
20 WILLIAMS F KING
21 ROWLAND BLACKBURN
22 QUANSAH LUND
23 UNDERWOOD
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
ARs: Joe James and Michael Woods
The other three games:
Saracens had a nasty shock when Lightning came to town. They had to work desperately hard to keep afloat against another side that is maturing into a real challenger for the end-of-term prizes. Helena Rowland once more looked the part of a post-Daley-Mclean England No 10.
Even with Sarah McKenna restored at full-back after a lengthy absence, Sarries’ defensive lines don’t look as secure as in the past. But they secured all five points, and that is the name of the game.
Exeter proved that they have developed far better than their fellow recruits Sale. A 38-0 win tells its own story. They have quality all over the park, whereas the guests were more limited in their pre-season purchases. This was a stark return to reality for the great Katy Daley-Mclean in her first outing since announcing her retirement from the international scene. She has plenty of work on her hands to bring her charges up to the standards required at the elite level. They have some talented players and plenty of spirit, but wins are hard earned.
Bristol were able to enjoy themselves again as they travelled north to face the hapless Darlington MPDS. With Siwan Lillicrap’s injury Rownita Marston was able to resume her challenge for the England No 8 shirt, but Amber Reed and Sarah Bern were still much-missed absences from Bears’ ranks. Beth Blacklock registered the Sharks’ only points with a late penalty.
Kate Rowan reported in the Daily Telegraph that the Bears were the first side to wear gum-shields that measure the impact of collisions. In the current storm of concern over concussion, that is a positive innovation.
Other Results:
DMPDS 3 Bristol 50
Exeter 38 Sale 0
Saracens 29 Loughborough 24
Sunday match:
Worcester v Quins
Table P W L B Pts
Quins 7 7 0 7 35
Saracens 7 7 0 6 35
Wasps 9 7 2 5 34
Lightning 9 6 3 5 29
Glos-Pury 8 4 4 4 20
Exeter 8 3 5 5 17
Bristol 9 3 6 5 17
Worcester 8 2 6 2 10
Sale 8 1 6 1 5
DMPDS 7 0 7 0 0
